Closing out an historic career

Kyle Ringo

11/16/2010

You could tell from the beginning that Scotty McKnight wasn't going to let any opportunity slip away. During his true freshman season as a redshirt when he was still a walk-on at Colorado, he and quarterback Cody Hawkins were often the last players off the practice field. Get inside for more.

Even though they weren't playing that year, the duo spent 10, 20 and sometimes 30 minutes, after all of their teammates and coaches had hit the showers, throwing the ball and running routes, just trying to get better.

All of that time together and dedication to their craft began to pay off when they took the field together as redshirt freshmen in 2007, and it has led to a lot of completions together over the course of the past four seasons.

The two seniors along with 13 others in their class are preparing for the final home game of their careers this Saturday at Folsom Field.

"You know, I've been through different guys who have always told me they can't believe how fast everything just went by," McKnight said. "So even though maybe it seemed hard when you're younger, I always try to do my best to just soak it in and enjoy every minute of playing here."

McKnight has the nation's longest streak of consecutive games with at least one catch. He has caught a pass in every game of his career, a run of 47 straight including a bowl game in 2007.

He tied the CU career touchdown receptions mark last week with his 20th touchdown catch.

McKnight is also within just 111 yards of passing Michael Westbrook as the program's all-time leader in receiving yards. He has 2,437. Westbrook racked up 2,548. McKnight is already the career leader in receptions and builds on that mark with each additional catch.

"It's starting to hit me a little bit," McKnight said. "I'm trying to not get too emotional on Senior Day cause (two years ago) I saw Cody Crawford crying and I was like, 'What is this guy doing? Is he really crying before a game?' I was thinking about it and I was like, 'That could be me.'"

McKnight said he doesn't necessarily have a favorite moment in his career. Maybe one will develop in these final few games. He said he appreciates the entire experience with all the little moments along the way, on the field, in the locker room, on buses and planes to road games, in the offseason, on campus, off campus, the time he sat with older teammates in Boulder Creek after practice because the cold tub wasn't working, and many more experiences just like it.

"You get to know so many different people that if you weren't put in this situation, you probably wouldn't get to know," he said.